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YARN FEEDING DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 24, 1918 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mum:

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- YARN FEEDING DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KN ITTING MACHINES Fild April 24, 1918 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 YARN FEEDING DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 24, 1918 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ZTEG? K Sept 1, 1931. w. .J. LONGTEN 3,521,263

YARN FEEDING DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 24, 1918 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

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m I, 1931. w. J. LONGTIN 1,821,268

YARN FEEDING DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filel April 24, 1918 5 sheets-sheet 5 Mi. 5 wiZZmm/JLonyZim I BY ATTORNEYS.

atented Sept- 1931' i s ISTATQES PATENT QFFICE -WILLI AM a. LONGTIN', or NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WILDMAN MFG. 00., orNoRRIsrowN, rENNsYLvANIA, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA I YARN FEEDING DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Original application filed January 25, 1915, Serial No. 4,090. Divided and this application filed April 24,

1918. Serial No. 230,390.

This application is a division of my prior application, Serial No. 4,090, filed January th,1915.

My improvements relate to devices for accurately introducing and withdrawing the yarn in relation to the knitting needles .while a circular knitting machine is in motion.

Such devices are useful particularly where it is-necessary to successively introduce and withdraw a thread before the completion of a single horizontal course of knitting, with repetition of the same operation in succeeding courses. In such case it is of importance that the introduction and withdrawal of the thread in each succeeding course shall occur between the same needles, in order. that the line of demarcation produced by the introduction, or withdrawal, of the yarn may coincide with a single wale of knitting. In the knitting of hosiery, it is frequently desired to employ a reinforcing thread in this way for a particular region of a stocking, as for example, the sole orthe. high heel or for a knee patch. The same method is applicable to the production of vertically striped knit fabric, by the successive introduction and withdrawal of colored yarn and to manyother purposes.

I have illustrated and will describe my invention as applicable to reinforcing a high heel in hosiery manufacture.

,Aoc'ording to my invention I employ a thread changing lever which operates with rapidity and accuracy in moving towards or away from the hooks of the needles for the introduction, or withdrawal, of a particular yarn, and, in connection therewith, any desired yarn-severing and yarn-clamping devices may be used.

Knitting machines are operated more rapidly than formerly, and at the same time a demand has arisen for hosiery of increasing fineness, as a result of which the space between successive knitting needles has been lessened until it is so small as to render the operation of accurately timing the throw of a yarn" changing device, to insert or withdraw its yarn between two predetermined needles, a matter of increasing difficulty. In order to overcome this difliculty, and render the operation of the yarn changer more certain and accurate, I have provided means whereby I secure a temporary divergence in the path pursued by successive needles in the region of the yarn changing operation. In this way I ensure the reception or discharge of the yarn uniformly at a given needle, on successive courses, depending upon the different position assumed by certain needles as (ompared with their neighbors, at the moment of effecting the change.

I will describe my invention as I have applied it to a circular stocking knitter of a well known type in which the needle cylinder rotates relatively to the needleoperating cams and yarn feeding devices, but it will be understood that my invention is equally applicable to machines where the latter devices rotate relatively to a needle cylinder.

It will also be understood that my devices are applicable to many different types of circular knitting machines, adapted for a variety of purposes.

In the drawings, Fig. I represents a vertical section through the needle cylinder and certain adjacent parts, upon a plane, passingthrough the axis of the cylinder.

Fig. II is a plane development of a portion of the circle of .needles showing the needle operating cams and one yarn'changing device in operative relation to the needles.

Figs. III and IV are partial views, in a similar plane development, illustrating successive positions of the needles as the yarn is withdrawn from, or fed to, them. The yarn-severing and yarn-clamping devices are not represented in these figures, as they may be of any desired character and the general construction and mode of operation of such devices are well known.

Fig. V is a partial side view of the lower extremities of three needles, showing the long, short and medium butts which I employ.

Figs. VI and VII are detail views showing the center stitch cam' and the relation of different needles thereto.

Fig. VIII is a plan view of the structure I represented in Fig. I, showing a main yarn feeding lever 10.

Fig. IX is an elevation of a knitting mahas cut into itv a large recess 6, in the region where the thread changing lever 7, (or series thereof), is situated, and operates to accomplish the feeding or withdrawal of its yarn with relation to the needles. The knitting cams, as seen more particularly in Fig. II, comprise the usual paired stitch cams employed in hosiery" knitting, and inelude, in this instance, the wing cams 13, 14, and the center stitch cams 15.

For the further description of my invention it will be convenient to describe successively,

1. The yarn changing lever and itsoper-e ating devices.

2. The means for causing certain successive needles to travel in temporarily divergent courses in the region of the feeding of the yarn.

1. The yarn changing lever and its operating devices Although several yarn changing levers at its free, or inner extremity wit a yarn alongside of each other may be em loyed, the only one which need be describe is the lever 7. Its contour is shouldered, as more 3 clearly shown in Fig. I, and it is rovided feeding eye 12, being pivoted near its outer extremity on the pivot 9. The yarn changing lever 7 is moved so as to carry the yarn feeding eye 12 up and down at each revolution of the cylinder 1. When the inner extremity of the leve 7 is in its lowermost osition, the yarn fe 1s laid in afiyarn guiding notch 11, occupye ing one of the lower corners of the recess 6, inthe ring 5, and from this notch passes directly into the knitting.

, The lever 7 ,is provided at its outer end with' a lug 21, which receives the pressure of the flattension spring 22, said pressure tending normally to maintain the eye 12,

of the lever 7, in its lowermost position, i. e.,- that of feeding yarn to the needles, except when the lever is elevated, which is accomplished by an'operating lever 23, one end of which is in contact with the lever 7, the

other end being connected to a link 24, which is in turn connected with pattern mechanism of well known construction such as shown in Fig. IX, by which at the proper through the eye 12,

time the lever 23, is swung to elevate the yarn changing lever 7. From Fig.'IX, and also Fig. X, it will be noted that the link 24, is actuated by the cooperation of a finger 70, with a rotary cam 71,"on the main drive shaft 72 of the machine, while the control of the lever 7, is effected by means of a second link 73 (see also Fig. XI) connected at its lower end with a finger 74,

'operatively associated with a drum 75, having cam projections 76, which, when they engage the finger 74 hold the yarn feed 7 inactive notwithstan ing the continued rotation of the cam 71. By reason of the shouldered contour of the lever 7, the yarn feeding eye 12, is nearer to the axis of the knitting cylinder Iwhen raised than when lowered so that the raising of the inner end of the lever not only withdraws the yarn from the notch 11, but carries it toward the axis of the cylinder, a movement which is appropriate to guide the yarn to any suit able clamping device.

2. The means for causing certain successive needles to travel in temporarily divergent courses in the region of the feeding of the yarn.

Owing to the limited space between successive needles, and the necessity for accurately introducing and withdrawing the yarn between the two predetermined needles of the series, I render this operation more certain by establishing a difference in height between successive needles at the point of introduction or. withdrawal. This is accomplished as follows:

' Needles are provided having butts of dif- I fering lengths, as shown in Fig. V, in which, 80, represents a short butt needle, and 81, a medium butt needle, and 82, a long butt needle. This distinction is further utilized by employing'the long and medium butt needles as the idle set, during the fashioning T of the heel pocket of a stocking, while the short butt needles form the fashioning set,

for which purpose the cam (not shown),

'which elevates certain needles to the idle levelduring fashioning, has sufiicient projection to reach to the long and medium butt needles.

During ordinary rotary knitting, the long butt needles 82, are advanced to throw the loop below the latch preparatory to taking yarn by the cam 14', and are then depressed by the cam 15, and further depressed to cast soil their 100, s by the cam 13, the feeding of the yarn ta ing place as the needle butts pass from the bottom of the center cam 15,

to the cam surface of the cam 13', as clearly depicted in Fig. II.

1 At thepoint where the yarn is to'be introduced I insert needles, the butts of which are too short to reach to, and be depressed by, the center cam 15. In place thereof, they are depressed by the cam83, of greater projection, but the bottom of which does not reach so low as the cam 15, and which accordingly, does not depress the needles so far.

This is true of bothshort and medium butt needles, which are thereafter inserted in continuous sequence, a certain number of medium butt needles (three, as shown in the drawings) being placed at either end of the series of short butt needles, for reasons which will be hereafter explained.

As the needles swing around to take thread, the long butt needles are accordingly depressed somewhat further than the other needles, so that the leading medium butt needle is appreciably in advance of the preceding needles until all come in contact with the cam 13, and are by it depressed to a common level. The operations of the machine are so timed that the depression of theyarn changing lever 7, occurs just as the yarn is about'to be fed to the approaching leading medium buttneedle and while the last of the segment of long butt needles are passing under the yarn from the yarn changing lever 7 as illustrated in Figs. II, IILand IV. The greater height of the leading medium butt needle enables it to receive from the yarn changing lever when depressed, the yarn, which has not been received beneath the hooks of the preceding long butt needles. This is more clearly illustrated in Fig. IV, where the path of the black needles is above that of the long butt '(shaded) needles, and

by reason of their greater advancement,

these needles are receiving theyarn as the lever 7, 1S depressed.

It will be observed that the position as-- sumed by the yarn passing fronrthe notch 11, to 'the yarn clamp, is such that the long butt needles cannot receive it beneath their clamp.

Likewise the elevation of the yarn changing lever 7, is timed to occur at the endof the series of needles which thus advance above those which follow them as the needles pass from the center cams 15, (or 83) to the cam 13; and the elevation of the yarn changing lever readily withdraws the yarn which has been fed to these needles, since the succeeding longbutt needles running at a lower level do not receive the yarn.

The particular arrangement of needles shown in the drawings is useful in hosiery knitting where it is desired to reinforce the high 'heeland the soleof a stocking. By

' ea employing a few (say three) medium butt needles between the series with the long butts and the series with theshort butts, it results that the region Ofreinforcement is three wales wider at'either side than the heel pocket. This is because the medium butt needles operate as do the short butt needles during reinforcement, and yet form part of the idle set not employed for fashioning;

- It is desirable thus to widen the reinforced high heel and sole of a stocking, since it makes it strong r in theregion of the upper ends of the h the loops of a seamless stocking are exposed to' greater tension than are other parts of the stocking.

It will be understood that modifications of my invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. It is quite immaterial whether the needle cylinder rotates, or is stationary, and although I have spoken of the needles as traveling, the

Word refers only to relative motionbe-- tween the needles and the cams or the feed. The number of needles which are caused to take a temporarily divergent path from the others in order to facilitate the introduction or Withdrawal of yarn may vary. For some purposes one at each end of a series is sufficient, although for greater certainty, I prefer to use more. The means eel sutures, where by which successive needles are caused to take divergent paths at the point of the introduction or withdrawal of the yarn may vary, since various devices by which this may be accomplished are well known.

IVhat I claim and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is: v 1. In a circular knitting machine, a stitch cam operating all the needles during round int and round knitting, the combination of a device for feeding auxiliary'yarn; adjacent said stitch c'amnieans for moving said device into operative position, to introduce thread to the needles, and to move said device to withdraw thread from position-to be engaged by the needles; and means 1 whereby a plurality ofsuccessive needles are caused to travel at different heights fro other needles in relation to said device, at the points of such introduction or withdrawal.

2. In a machine for knitting seamless hosiery; means for separating the idle set of. needles from the fashioning set; a yarn changing lever for introducing and withdrawing a special yarn for a reinforced heel and sole; means whereby said lever is separated therefrom by a plurality of needles.

3. A stocking knitting machine having in combination means for feeding main and splicing yarns, needles in a plurality of series having butts of different lengths, means for knitting heels and toes on one of said series, and means co-operating with one'only of the remaining series of needles to cause them'not to take the splicing yarn.

4:. A knitting machine having means for feeding main and splicing yarns, a series of needles having short butts, a series of needles having long butts, and needles adjacent the short butt series having medium butts, in combination with means for kniting reciprocally on said short butt needles, and means operative duringirotary knitting for causing said" short butt and medium butt needles only to take said splicing yarn.

5. A knitting machine having in combination a needle carrier and needles therein, a stitch .cam having needle advancing and needle retracting surfaces operating all the needles, and a main yarn feeding device, a devicefor feeding auxiliary yarn,

' means to position said device operatively,

and means co-operating with the needles to cause the needles of a predetermined segand yar feeding devices for feeding all of ment to take a different path between their advance and retraction by said surfaces at said stitch cam with relation to the'yarn from said auxiliary feeding device.

6. In a circular knitting machine, in combination with a needle cylinderand fneedles therein, a stitch camfor operating all the needles during round and round knittlng the nee les, a device for feeding auxiliary yarn for sectional splicing, means for rendering said device active and lnactlve at predetermined times, and a needle selecting cam .in advance of said stitch cam provided. with a cam face adapted to operate some of the needles and a second cam face adaptedto operate the remaining needles a predetermined number of needles only to take the I yarn-from said device. 1 f

n a knitting machine,

of a retracting stitch cam a supplemental 7, The combination. 1

cam havinga retracting face nearand in advance of a part of the face of saidstitch-.

ca m, needles havingbutts of different lengths some of which only contact with said supplemental cam;" a splicing-yarn guide, and .rne'ans to operate said guide to -deliver its yarn in relation-to needles retracted by said supplemental cam and to.

other needles prior to their retraction by said stitch cam. i v

. 8. In a. circular knittingmachine, the com-. bination of a device for feeding auxiliary yarn; means for moving said device into operative position, to introduce'thread to the needles, and to move said device to withdraw thread from position to be engaged by the needles; a stitch cam operating all the needles during round and round knitting, and

andround knitting and a' main yarn feeding.

device, a device for feeding auxiliary yarn, means to position said auxiliary yarn feeding devlce operatively, and two needlesele cting cam faces in advance of said stitch cam cooperating with the needles during round and round knitting to cause the nee- I dles of a predetermined segment to take a different path from that. of otherneedles between their advance by said needle advancing surface and their retraction by said stitch cam with 'relation to the yarn frorn said auxiliary feeding device.

10. A knitting machine having incombination a needle carrier and needles therein,

a needle advancing cam surface and a stitch cam having a needle retracting surface engaging all the needles during round and round knitting, and a main yarn feeding device, a device forfeeding auxiliary yarn,

means to position said device ope'ratively, and two needle-selectingicam faces cooperating with the needles during round and round knitting to cause the needles of a predetermined segment to take 'a different path from the remaining needles between thelr advance at said needle advancing surface and their retraction by said stitch cam.

11. A knitting machine having in combination a needle carrier and needles therein, a needle advancing cam surface and a stitch cam having a needle retracting surface and a main yarn 'feedingdevice, a device for feeding auxiliary yarn, means to position with the needlesto cause 'the needles of a predetermined segment to take a different 'path' from that of the remaining needles between their advance at saidneedle advancing surface and their retraction by said stitch device for feeding auxiliary yarn.

12. In a circular knitting machine, the combination of'a stitch cam operatin all the needles during round and round nit-j ting, a device for feeding auxiliary yarn; means for moving said device into operative positiom' to introduce thread to the needles, and to move'said device .to withdraw thread said last mentionedd'evice operatively, and two needle-selecting cam faces cooperating'illl cams with relation to the yarn from said I from position tobe engaged by the needles; 1'

and needle-selecting cam faces engaging the needles adjacent said stitch cam whereby a plurality of a group of successive needles are caused to travel at different heights from other needles in relation to said device, at the points of such introduction and withdrawal.

13. The combination in a knitting machine of a retracting stitclfcam actuating all of the needles, a supplemental cam in advance of said stitch cam, a cut-away portion on said supplemental cam for separating the needles, needles provided with butts of different lengths some of which only pass said cut-away portion, yarn guides adapted to feed a body yarn for knitting the tube of the stocking, a splicing yarn guide located between said supplemental cam and said stitch cam for feeding a yarn for sec- .tional reinforcement, and means to position said guide during round and round knitting to deliver its yarn only to needles positioned by said supplemental cam during round and round knitting at a higher lever than the level of the other needles prior to the retraction of all of the needles by the stitch cam.

14. The combination in a knitting machine of a retracting stitch cam to actuate all of the needles during round and round knitting, a supplemental needle-separating cam adjacent and in advance of said stitch cam, a cam surface in advance of said supplemental cam for raising all of the needles to a high level, cam faces on said supplemental cam adapted to retract a predetermined number of needles to a lower level than that of the remaining needles, and a splicing yarn guide located between said supplemental cam and said stitch cam for feeding a yarn for sectional reinforcement and means to position said guide during round and round knitting at a level to pass its yarn above the level of the needles retracted to the lower level by said supplemental cam, and to feed said yarn to the other needles.

15. The combination in a knitting machine of a retracting stitch cam to actuate all of the needles during round and round knitting, a cam face adapted to elevate all of the needles after their retraction by said stitch cam, a supplemental needle-separating cam adjacent and in advance of said stitch cam, a cam surface in advance of and adjacent said supplemental cam for raising all of the needles to a high level, cam faces on said supplemental cam adapted to retract a predetermined number of needles to a lower level than that of the remaining needles, and a splicing yarn guide located between said supplemental cam and said stitch cam for feeding a yarn for sectional reinforcement and means to position said guide dur ing round and round knitting at a level to pass its yarn above the level of the needles retracted to the lower level by said supplemental cam, and to feed said yarn to the other needles.

16. The combination in a knitting machine of a retracting stitch cam to actuate all of the needles during round and round knitting, a supplemental needle-separating cam adjacent and in advance of said stitch cam, said supplemental cam being provided with two faces, one engaging a predetermined number of needles and one engaging the remaining needles, a cam surface in advance of and adjacent said supplemental cam for raising all of the needles to a high level, one of the cam faces on said supplemental cam being adapted to retract-a predetermined number of needles to a lower level than that of the remaining needles, and a splicing yarn guide located between said supplemental cam and said stitch cam for feeding a yarn for sectional reinforcement, and means to position said guide during round and round knitting at a level to pass its yarn above the level of the needles retracted to the lower level by said supplemental cam, and to feed said yarn to the other needles.

17. A circular independent needle knitting machine having a main yarn guide, a movable auxiliary yarn guide, means for positioning needles of a predetermined segment to take yarn from said auxiliary guide during round and round knitting, and means for positioning said auxiliary guide in successive courses with reference to the needles of said segment before the .first needle of said segment passes said guide.

18. A knitting machine having a main yarn guide, a movable auxiliary yarn guide, a series of needles, means coacting with said needles for causing a predetermined group only to take the auxiliary yarn during round. and round knitting, and means for positioning the auxiliary guide in successive courses with reference to said group of needles before the leading needle of the group reaches yarn taking position.

19. A knitting machine having a main yarn guide, an auxiliary yarn guide, a series of needles, means for knitting a relatively wide fabric on all the needles with the main yarn, means for causing the needles of a predetermined group to knit in the auxiliary. yarn at a predetermined time during round and round knitting. and means to position the auxiliary guide in successive courses with reference to said group before the leading needle thereof reaches auxiliary-yarntaking position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania this seventeenth day of April, 1918.

WILLIAM J. LONGTIN. 

